No prior art can be found which discloses the present invention. Historically the status of drive train components, of anti-locking brake system components, power usage by vehicle components, and/or of the approach of a rollover condition have not been displayed for the driver by any type of vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,688, by Brown, et al, however discloses a visual display in FIG. 1 but without elaboration in the specification.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,497,301 by lida, et al, discloses an indicator 25 and alarming lamp and alarm 26 in FIG. 1 without further elaboration in the specification. Regarding the same type of disclosure, reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 6,493,623 Nishida, et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 46,603,393 by Sumada, et al, discloses a display for a vehicle operator for functional status of the vehicle but only mentions an open hood latch. No mention is made of the dynamics of operation of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,825,284, Dunwoody et al, discloses a system and method of calculating the approach of a rollover condition for a vehicle. The method described uses a “lateral load transfer” sensor to calculate the center of gravity which is an inoperable means to make this calculation. Restated, very low weight loadings on a vehicle can be configured which will give high lateral loading and which result in no turning moment whatever. The Dunwoody patent is completely inoperable. The present invention uses a harmonic frequency sensor which provides the means to calculate the center of gravity of a vehicle with great accuracy. With this and the input from a lateral acceleration sensor, the approach to a rollover condition of a vehicle is calculated with great accuracy.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,949,330, Hoffman et al, discloses a general monitoring and diagnosing means without reference to monitoring vehicle parameters and without reference to the approach of a rollover condition of a vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,721,634, Hauler, et al, discloses the use of a “freely programmable instrument cluster” within a vehicle but does not recite any vehicle parameters which are to be monitored and displayed. No reference is made regard monitoring vehicle parameters which would indicate the approach of a rollover condition of a vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,502, Opel, discloses a control system and an associated method with feedback input by the driver of a vehicle but does not recite any vehicle parameters which are to be monitored and displayed. No reference is made regard monitoring vehicle parameters which would indicate the approach of a rollover condition of a vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,880,710, Jabei, et al, utilizes a filtering and selection means for information but does not recite any vehicle parameters which are to be monitored and displayed. No reference is made regard monitoring vehicle parameters which would indicate the approach of a rollover condition of a vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,594,572, Haubner, et al, discloses a complex display means and primarily addresses the processing of information. The sole example given of a condition to be monitored is that of an open trunk compartment. Otherwise it does not recite any vehicle parameters which are to be monitored and displayed. No reference is made regarding the monitoring of vehicle parameters which would indicate the approach of a rollover condition of a vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,949,345, Berkert, et al, discloses a system based upon a computer program without the utilization of a dedicated display. The sole vehicle parameter mentioned which is to be monitored is the fuel gauge. Torque related information, as delivered to the wheels and the approach to a rollover condition by a vehicle are not mentioned.
The present invention discloses the use of a dynamic or real time display of the relative amounts of torque being transferred to the axles of a four-wheel drive vehicle and the use of an accurate monitoring means to indicate the approach of a rollover condition of a vehicle. These types of displays are currently unavailable to vehicle operators. No patents, including those cited above, disclose the method, system, process or apparatus of the present invention.